What happened
On its return flight from Dar es Salaam to Kigali, an aircraft carrying several government officials from Rwanda and Burundi was on short final approach to runway 28 at Kigali-Grégoire Kayibanda Airport. While flying at an altitude of approximately 100 meters, the aircraft was hit by a SAM16 surface-to-air missile. Following the impact, the plane crashed into the garden of the Presidency Residence, located roughly 500 meters from the Kanombe Camp. The wreckage was located 1,850 meters before the threshold of runway 28.
The aircraft, which was transporting members of the Rwandan and Burundian governments following a congress in Tanzania, disintegrated upon impact. There were 12 fatalities among the occupants, with no survivors reported. The passengers included the Presidents of Rwanda and Burundi, along with various military officers and government ministers.
Findings
Investigations into the crash determined that the aircraft was struck by a surface-to-air missile during the landing phase of the flight.